1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the art of containers and particularly to the art of capless containers for use in dispensing medicine.
2. Prior Art
Containers which have caps for allowing an opening to be covered or uncovered are known in the art. These containers come in a variety of shapes and sizes and are used for a variety of materials. A bottle portion typically serves to contain the material being stored and also provides an opening such as a threaded neck for attaching a cap. Many of these containers are designed to be child-proof by providing caps which must be manipulated in a particular fashion in order to be removed. While many of these containers may be successful in preventing children from gaining access to the contents, they also prevent adults who may be arthritic or paralyzed or who, for some other reason, have the use of only one hand, from opening the containers. Thus these types of containers have limited usefulness since they cannot be used by adults unable to open them. One solution to this problem is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,893,728 issued Jan. 16, 1990 to the inventor hereof as a co-inventor. This patent discloses an easy-to-open article dispenser preferably made of molded plastic and comprising a container member having a chamber for containing a plurality of articles such as vitamin pills and a dispenser portion. The article dispenser also comprises a dispenser control member adapted for slideable engagement with the dispenser portion whereby to selectively place a first dispenser aperture in communication With a port or second aperture for opening the dispenser. Various alternative embodiments are disclosed in that patent including some embodiments which provide for axial motion for opening the container and some of which provide for rotational motion of the dispenser control member relative to the dispenser portion of the container member for opening the dispenser. While the invention disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,893,728 can be manufactured as an easy open container which is not child-proof but which is easy for adults to open, it can also be manufactured as a child-proof container simply by increasing the frictional engagement between the dispenser control member and the dispenser portion of the container member so that a force higher than a predetermined child-proof threshold force is needed to open the container. Thus the aforementioned invention is highly flexible in the sense that it can be provided in either a child-proof or non-child-proof mode. Unfortunately, once that feature of the invention is specified, that is, it is either specified as child-resistant or non-child-resistant, it remains as such and cannot be varied in the field. Accordingly, manufacturers and retailers must supply article dispensers in both configurations in order to give the purchaser the option of choosing whether he or she wishes to purchase a child-resistant article dispenser for medicines or a non-child-resistant article dispenser for his medicines. It would therefore be extremely convenient and cost saving to the manufacturer and the purchaser, as well a means for saving shelf space for the retailer, to be able to provide an article dispenser of the type disclosed in the aforementioned prior art patent but which permits the purchaser to make that choice at any time even after he has purchased the article dispenser and taken it home.